Nevada ranks as the 35th most connected state in the US. Already on the lower end of the spectrum, connectivity is higher in areas with denser populations, while it is lower in areas that are more sparsely populated. The most recently reported average statewide speed for Nevada was 62.2 Mbps.
The Digital Divide in Nevada
In the state of Nevada, there are currently 133 internet providers. These providers vary in the both affordability and availability for the residents of Nevada. Currently, 193,000 people in Nevada do not have access to a wired connection capable of 25 Mbps download speeds. Additionally, 148,000 people in Nevada only have access to one provider, which leaves them with no options to switch. Finally, another 95,000 people in Nevada don’t have any wired providers available where they live at all.
The latest look at the broadband speeds in the state revealed data on Nevada residents. It revealed that 93% of Nevada residents have access to wired broadband 25 Mbps or faster. The data also showed that 91.8% of residents have access to broadband 100 Mbps or faster. On the other hand, 24.6% of residents only have access to 1-gigabit broadband.
Best-Connected Cities
Reno came in first as the most connected city in Nevada. This was followed by the cities of Henderson, North Las Vegas, and Las Vegas. 100% of the population in all four of these cities have access to broadband coverage. In Reno, 71% of residents have access to an affordable plan of wired broadband. This contrasts with the other three cities, as none of them offer an affordable plan of wired broadband.
Internet for Rural Areas in Nevada
The four worst connected towns in Nevada are Jarbidge, Mountain City, Luning, and Silverpeak. All of the population in these towns have access to broadband coverage, but none of them have access to any wired broadband. They also have access to affordable broadband plans that fall under $60.
Governmental Initiatives
The government of Nevada has put measures in place to further strengthen its broadband infrastructure. The non-profit “Connect Nevada” has been working to bring improved broadband to the state. Since 2010, this organization has been awarded $3,993,441 in federal grants for Nevada’s Broadband Initiative.
An additional $26.7 million was awarded to various broadband infrastructure projects in Nevada. It’s also important to note that since 2011 access to a wired connection of at least 10 Mbps has improved from 92.3% to 96.3% of Nevada.